Imran Khan claims selling Toshakhana gifts via military secretary

• PTI chief submits response based on 35 questions in trial court.
• He requests court to call Cheema to record his statement.
• Court expects defence's list of private witnesses in today's hearing.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has once again pleaded innocence in the Toshakhana case, claiming that he sold the state repository gifts through his military secretary as the prime minister, Brigadier Waseem Cheema, The News reported.

The former prime minister, who is caught up in a slew of criminal cases, made the claim while recording his statement to an additional district and sessions judge in Islamabad, Humayun Dilawar, under Section 342 on Tuesday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had, on October 21 last year, disqualified the former prime minister in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution for making "false statements and incorrect declaration".

Brigadier Cheema is an important and relevant character in this whole episode, Khan said in a response based on 35 questions posed by the court.

“I request the court to call him to record his statement in the case,” he requested the court.

On being asked by the court if he was satisfied with his answers, Khan replied in the affirmative.

He went on to say that the court of the Toshakhana case had been registered on political grounds.

“Both the prosecution witnesses were puppets of the government,” he alleged.

Before the court adjourned the hearing, Barrister Gohar sought two days to present the witnesses.

“The list has not been prepared yet, so we need time to prepare the list,” he said.

However, the lawyers representing the ECP opposed the request for time.

At this, Judge Dilawar told the lawyer to ensure the provision of the list of private witnesses today (Wednesday) and adjourned the hearing.